Whether you have a touch of post-holiday blues or just want to make a fresh start, January is the perfect month to tackle a big job.
Sometimes it’s not easy to leave December’s party season behind. Routine may kick in again but we still miss family, friends and festivities. With the cold, winter y days lingering on and driving us indoors, why not embark on a new project? Nothing changes perspective like de-cluttering and redecorating.
If you woke up January 1st ready and motivated to make some changes, then start with clearing out the clutter so you can revamp a bedroom, living area or work place.
When de-cluttering, you have to be cruel to be kind. Empty your wardrobe and don’t allow anything back in that you know you’ll never wear. Then move on to every drawer and cupboard. Don’t forget to cull out accessories, linen, ancient bath soaps and all of those board games that have most of their pieces missing.
Next, hit the kitchen and get brutal. Throw out ingredients you bought years ago for a soufflé you never made, chuck the appliances you never use and the ones that have vital bits missing. Check the expiry date on spices and tins of fruit and beans. Ask yourself seriously, how many plastic spatulas, wooden spoons and coffee mugs do you need?
Walk around your home and look at everything as if you are seeing it for the first time. Discard whatever you don’t want or need. It’s not easy, but when you’re done you will have extra space to enjoy or redecorate.
Sometimes the only way forward is out with the old and in with the new. But how do you know which new trend is the way forward for you?
Trends are merely fads based on popularity and buying power. Regardless of how popular a particular fashion trend might be, would you wear it if you didn’t feel good in it? The same applies to interior design.
When products or ideas make money, they generate public interest and end up on the covers of magazines. Don’t settle for the latest craze in interior design; it could be here today and gone tomorrow. Instead, take time to figure out what you like.
To find your own style takes hours and honesty. You have already let go of the things you don’t need, now decide what you want. Ask yourself some simple questions. Is there a room in your home that you linger in? Is there a room you rarely visit? Think of how these rooms are decorated and what appeals to your senses and what repels them.
When you are out, what catches your attention? Can you think of a window display or showcase that made you pause? Sometimes we find inspiration in other homes but also consider the restaurants and shops you visit the most. How are they decorated and is that why you keep going back?
Decor is a mood as much as a moment. One clue could be to compare the difference between the oldest and newest thing you bought to decorate your home. What’s the difference in the two? That answer alone could be your way forward.
